Corgi. Even the sound of the very word is enchanting. It means dwarf dog in Welsh. But, you even think you know the breed: they are often referred to as the Queen’s dogs. You would be correct. Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain was raised with them and owns several Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Well, this year’s 138th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was about the other Corgi. The one with the tail; the Cardigan. And, the word excitement does not begin to define the mood when discussing the win with her principals or other inveterate Corgi lovers.

It’s post-Westminster and Grand Champion Cardigan Welsh Corgi Riverside Telltail Coco Posh is causing Cardigan breeders phones to ring off the hook. Websites are getting record-breaking queries. The history making Cardigan who took Best of the Herding Group, brought Corgi owners around the world to their feet. And why? Because both breeds, the Pembroke and the Cardigan just don’t get noticed much at shows along side the likes of the German Shepherd Dog or Border Collies. It was downright discouraging, especially if your life was enhanced by a Corgi, as mine was. I shared thirteen inimitable years with a Pembroke. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.

For Coco, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi to take the Group was history in the making. Such an enormous win! Well, the Garden just won’t be the same. Coco, now known forever as the Corgi With The Tail, has made the world sit up and take notice. As co-owner Dinah Planche of Baton Rouge, LA. put it, “Coco mania is sweeping the country!”

At first glance, Coco seems to take her celebrity in stride at almost 10:55 EST. She knew one thing for certain: a few tosses of her Flippy Flopper Flying Disc down the hotel corridor would do nicely before bedtime. Dinah reports they order them by the case...And after all, she and handler, Lois DeMers had been up since early Monday morning for the Best of Breed judging. That win allowed her to advance to be judged in the Herding Group. Yes! Right alongside that German Shepherd Dog…Imagine her uniqueness!

To get this far, I’ve asked her breeder Deborah Shindle to take a look back at the hard work: the physical, mental and emotional toll of raising a champion, the expense and selflessness notwithstanding. The dogs are everything. After conversing with Deb, I realized one has to be on your game 24/7 to breed a dog like Coco. It’s not for the faint of heart, nor wallet for that matter. And, as the story unfolds, the goose bumps begin!

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Candi-Sue Scott has had 51 years experience in all phases of pet ownership, 31 of those years in the Seattle area. Her pets: Cocker Spaniel and three Miniature French Poodles, eight rescued cats, some of which were Abyssinian and Somalis, and many birds. Her Service dogs: a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, a German Shepherd Dog and currently, a Golden Retriever.